The technology, he said, will allow drivers to pay by credit card through the PassportParking app on any iPhone or Android smartphone.
“The option of mobile payment will make the process of parking downtown quick and convenient, which is great for both parkers and small businesses,” Smith said. “It will be a welcomed change to carrying around coins and will make it easier for customers to support downtown Hamilton’s small businesses.”
The move to offer pay by app at parking meters is a sign of the times — fewer people are carrying change around, opting for debit and credit cards instead of cash to pay for expenses.
Public Works Director Rich Engle told the Journal-News in May that 175 meters throughout the city will get access to the app. A sticker will be placed on the meters alerting drivers that they can pay by either downloading the app, visiting the company's website or paying over the phone.
The mobile app is either being used or considered for use in cities around the world, including Boston and Chicago.
PassportParking won’t collect any of the proceeds the city gets, but it will charge users a 25-cent convenience fee for every time they make a payment. But, if drivers use parking meters frequently, they can choose to load a set amount — say $25 — on the app and only pay the 25 cents each time they load more money.
The city owns about 650 parking meters, but the first 175 to get the app are the most frequented meters, including a line of meters that sits in front of the Government Services Center on High Street, which Engle previously said are the most often used. The fees and time limits for meters vary across the city.
Passport signage will be located on the meters with information on how to complete these transactions. For frequent customers, Passport’s Prepaid Wallet provides the ability to add and store prepaid funds. However, all of the mobile pay meters will still accept coins as a method of payment.
With the Passport service, the meter won’t update to reflect time purchased by phone. However, customers will not have to display any proof of payment as parking enforcement officers can view payments through a wireless handheld device.
Passport is the largest provider of mobile payments in North America, and recently launched nearby in Cincinnati earlier this summer.
Users can download the PassportParking app through the iPhone App Store and Android Google Play. Smartphone users can also use the new service by going to https://m.ppprk.com to create their account.
This article contains previous reporting by staff writer Amanda Seitz.
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